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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25661143">The Start of a Journey</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wes_Sirius/pseuds/Wes_Sirius'>Wes_Sirius</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Persona 3, Persona Series</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Arisato Siblings AU, Birthday Fluff, Birthday Party, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Grief/Mourning, Romance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 03:09:20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,796</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25661143</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wes_Sirius/pseuds/Wes_Sirius</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The countdown to SEES' field leader's special day is ticking away. Having been miraculously spared by the Reaper two years ago, Shinjiro Aragaki decides to work together with his friends to make sure that this special day would be extra special. After all, he'd be a failure of a boyfriend otherwise.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aragaki Shinjiro/Arisato Minako, Aragaki Shinjiro/Female Persona 3 Protagonist</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>47</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Wicked Plan</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Know this; although I also went with the "both P3 protagonists are related by blood" route, they are only *siblings*, not *twins*, which means they don't share a same birthday. I went with this route because I wanted this story to focus more on the female Arisato. Enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <hr/><p class="Normal tm5">
  <em> <span class="tm6">Sunday</span> </em>
</p><hr/><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“That’s all for tonight.” Masami announced. “Great work, everyone.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Sighs of relief echoed among his peers. Shinjiro had to hand it to them this time; today was really tough, no kidding. Today just seemed to be the best day for families to bring their newborns out; if looks could kill, he would’ve been arrested for manslaughter hours ago.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">The bell tinkled as the front door opened. Who the fuck was it? Shinjiro swore he had flipped the entrance sign already. “Sorry, we’re closed-”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Shinjiro-san.” Ken? Why was he here? Shinjiro stood straight to look at him. Just... damn. He still couldn’t comprehend just how much the kid had grown within such a short time. Growth spurts really did him good. Though, he would still have to tell him to not drink so much milk for the sake of growing taller. Being allergic wasn’t fun. “Hey, Ken. Sup?”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">The bell tinkled again. “Wow, Shinji, you look like shit.” Tch, leave it to Aki to state the obvious. Though, why were both of them here? He thought Aki had Shadow Operative business to deal with today.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“What’s it to you, Aki? Many people called in absent today.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Touche, touche.” Akihiko cleared his throat. “Anyway, we came to talk about something.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Wanna walk and sip on beer as you do that? Sides,” Shinjiro shot a look at Ken. “He should get back to the dorm within the next half hour if he doesn’t want to get into trouble.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“I will be fine, Shinjiro-san. The thing is...” Ken fidgeted around, before he broke the news. “Minako-san’s birthday is coming up next Friday.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">... Oh.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Huh.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">He wasn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span class="tm7">terribly</span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm6"> surprised. Takeba did mention something about Minako’s birthday last Tuesday, but he hadn’t paid attention to it.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">... Shit.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“I see. So, have you two prepared a gift for her?”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“I think we should be asking you this, Shinji.” Of course Aki would want to dodge the question. “But that’s fine. We’ve hatched a wicked plan.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Fuck. Shinjiro did not like the look Aki was having in his eyes. Warning bells were already blasting off in his mind. He chose his response carefully, “And what is this ‘wicked plan’ you have?”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Now Ken was smirking along. Something told him that he would not like their “wicked plan”...</span>
</p><hr/><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Just as he fucking thought. “Aki, this is ridiculous. I am not your personal chef.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Relax, we’re not asking you to cook everything!” Akihiko jabbed his chest with a finger. “Your dish will be like a... final touch. Something you wanted to make for the party. Combine that with everything else, and it’ll be a blast.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Don’t worry, Shinjiro-san. We will buy the rest of the food while you cook. Yukari-san and I will get pizza.” Ken began to count on his fingers. “Junpei-san and Mitsuru-san will get sushi. Aigis-san and Fuuka-san will get drinks.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“And I will get the cake!” Aki finished off, sounding real proud of himself.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Teenagers really had shitty eating habits, didn’t they? But then again, this was a special occasion. He’d have to ask Mitsuru to not buy too much sushi; food shouldn’t be wasted. Not to mention, even though Mitsuru is backing them in finances, he still didn’t want them spending away too much for the party.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">He might as well play along in this. “Fine. But don’t buy too much. Don’t want you throwing cash left and right.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Of course, Shinji. Don’t you worry. Also, make sure you keep shut about this when you see Minako. We do want this to be a surprise.” Hm, a surprise party? A classic trick, but hard to pull off successfully in practice.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“I know, and I will.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Aki stood up. “Welp, I’ll be off. Mitsuru will bust my ass if I decided to stay out late.” But as he left the place, Shinjiro noticed something odd. Ken was still smiling. Almost proudly. What was this; did the kid have another “wicked plan” on his mind?</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Hey, Shinjiro-san...”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Yeah?”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Now the smile turned bashful. He was scuffing around with his feet. He also refused to meet Shinjiro’s eyes. What was this about...?</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">And in a flash, Ken shoved something into his hands.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Wait, Ken, what the fuck-”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Use this to get a gift for Minako-san!”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">... What the hell just happened?</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Ken was going a mile a minute; it was ridiculous. Shinjiro carefully pried open his fingers to take a look at the thing in his hands. What was going on?</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">...</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">What the </span>
  <em>
    <span class="tm7">fuck</span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm6">.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Ken... from where did you get ten thousand yen?” Shinjiro slowly ground out. He almost felt like crushing the bills with sheer strength. He swore, if Ken borrowed this from his classmates-</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“I uh... I saved up a lot?” The kid sounded so small. Shinjiro grumbled. Why the fuck would he give him part of his savings to let him get something for Mina’s birthday? What was he thinking? It wasn’t like Shinjiro was wallowing in poverty; he still had some cash from what odd jobs he did during his free time.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Ken, listen.” Shinjiro put the bills back into the boy’s hand. “You don’t hafta whip out half of your savings to help me. I’ve still got a decent amount of cash. I can get something for her with my own stuff.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Shinjiro-san.” Ken began combing through the bills. “Please, accept this. I know you have money, but I want to help you.” </span>
  <em>
    <span class="tm7">Help me, huh?</span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm6"> “I know Minako-san is very special to you. I’m sure you want to get something special for her too. Please, let me help you this time.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">... This stubborn little bastard. Shinjiro didn’t fight back the smile that crept onto his face. If he was that insistent about it, Shinjiro wouldn’t stand a chance in this argument. He sighed and shoved the bills into his pocket. “Fine. I’ll keep the money. Just don’t come crying if you regret your decision, ‘kay?”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Ken’s whole face seemed to light up. “I don’t regret it, Shinjiro-san. I promise.” Shinjiro liked it when the boy smiled. He looked more like a happy child, devoid of the scars left on him. “I’ll get going now; our soccer team is going to buy some equipment at Paulowania Mall. See you later, Shinjiro-san.” Ken fixed up his sweater, before leaving the room. Sighing, Shinjiro caressed the bills with his finger. He still had nearly a week to get something. He might as well put the money to good use...</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And it has begun! I've written this weeks ago, but only now I decided to man up and publish it onto AO3. Leave a review or a kudos if you enjoyed, and kindly stick with me until the next chapter!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Treasure Hunting</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <hr/>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Sunday</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Shinjiro turned the crank of the music box slowly. He recognized the tune. During one of their many nightly dates, Minako had allowed him to listen to whatever her music player contained. Sometimes he found it weird that both Arisatos never seemed to find carrying those headphones a chore.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">His grip on the box was gentle as wind, even though he knew the box could probably stand a rough squeeze or two. He didn’t want to ruin his gift for her. This... wasn’t what he would’ve first thought when deciding what to give to her as a birthday present. Only kids would love this brightly-colored nuisance.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">But he trusted his instinct. </span>
  <em>
    <span class="tm7">This would suit Minako well.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">The puppet stopped spinning as he let go of the crank. “I’ve decided. I’d like this. Pack it up for me.”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Of course, sir!” Shinjiro was surprised this lady still remained so calm in the face of his imposing figure. However, he wished she hadn’t swiped the box from his hand so carelessly. Was this really how she handles her stock? “That’ll be 2,000 yen for the </span>
  <em>
    <span class="tm7">Phantom Thief X</span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm6"> music box!”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">A fraction of what Ken gave him. He reminded himself to return the remaining cash to the boy this evening. He passed the bills to the cashier, and took the parcel from her before she could clumsily drop it onto the floor. He wouldn’t trust something so fragile in her hands.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Adults and kids alike moved out of his way as he left the music store. He did restock kitchen supplies just last Saturday, so this might be his call to leave.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Or it would’ve been, if Takeba didn’t run up to him from the bookstore.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Hello, Shinjiro-senpai! Good to see you here!” Shinjiro gave her a nod in response. He didn’t expect Takeba and Fuuka to be out shopping. They probably came here to get gifts of their own for Minako as well.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Hey, Senpai.” Fuuka had caught up to him as well. She was holding... was that a music player? “Have you come shopping for vegetables?”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Nah, I came to get something for the upcoming party.” He didn’t show the bag containing the parcel. He... didn’t want to know what the girls would think about his gift of choice. Not now, anyway.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Takeba’s eyes lit up. “Heeeyy, I and Fuuka came over to buy something for her birthday too! Talk about coincidence, eh Senpai? Though...” Her expression soured. “I... haven’t decided yet. Minako has a really... wide range, when it comes to things she likes. I want to get something special, </span>
  <em>
    <span class="tm7">personal</span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm6"> for her. Maybe I could do what Akihiko-senpai did and get her some tools for college?”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Huh. Aki, getting college tools for Mina? Well, Aki </span>
  <em>
    <span class="tm7">was</span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm6"> an accomplished student at Gekkoukan, unlike him.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“As for me,” Fuuka presented the pink-colored music player in her hands. “I wanted to find something to replaced her outdated mp3 player, so I got this from the electric appliance store here. Do you think pink suits her, Senpai?”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Of course it does.” He muttered without thinking. Shit. Fuck. Dammit. Typical idiot move. Why the hell did he decide to open his big mouth before he had thought up a good answer?</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Though... he wouldn’t say that pink looks horrid on Minako. She looked pretty cute in the new blouse she bought for the New Year’s celebration. Yeah, pink was a good choice. Fuuka had decent taste.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Sooooo, Senpai,” Takeba interjected. “What do </span>
  <em>
    <span class="tm7">you</span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm6"> plan to get for her?”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Shinjiro resisted the urge to glare at the younger girl. She had to go there, didn’t she? Shinjiro </span>
  <em>
    <span class="tm7">really</span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm6"> didn’t want to hear what the two underclassmen would have to say for his choice. No, he wasn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span class="u">
      <span class="tm7">embarrassed</span>
    </span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm6"> to show it. It was just... he wasn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span class="u">
      <span class="tm7">ready</span>
    </span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm6"> for it. Yet. Not now. “You’ll find out during the party.”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Takeba wasn’t having it, though. That tiny giggle from her meant nothing good. “Why so flustered, Senpai? Come on, I’m sure you’ve got great taste.”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“I’m sure Minako-chan would love anything you gave her, Shinjiro-senpai.” That comment was sweet of Fuuka, he admitted, but it still failed to mask her also-growing curiosity. He had to remind himself to not clench the bag too tightly behind him. The obvious solution here would be to hightail it out of here and back to the dorm, before the girls could catch up and ask even more questions. But he knew if he did that, any chance of them letting him off the hook would vanish for sure. Hell, Aki might question him too if they blabbed to him.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Once again, he was forced up against a wall.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“I really got no say in this, huh?” Shinjiro begrudgingly showed them the rose-colored box. Fuuka’s eyes practically sparkled as she cautiously took it from his open hand. She thumbed every square inch of the box, as if she was feeling every groove carved onto the woodwork. “Whoa...”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Takeba wasn’t as patient. She pushed the lid open to reveal the miniature phantom thief posing elegantly at them. Shinjiro was still impressed at how much detail could be put onto a small piece of wood to make it a convincing figurine.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Something seemed to click in Fuuka. “This is... the Phantom Thieves of Hearts! This figurine; it’s their leader. This new show on TV skyrocketed through the ratings, and it’s been a huge success.” Really now? Shinjiro did hear Ken talk about it a few times, but he had better things to worry about than some dumb cartoon. “This one was probably made as merch.” The blue-haired girl looked back up at him. “It’s a gorgeous ornament. But, why a music box, Senpai? Why did you decide to buy this out of all things?”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Honestly? Shinjiro didn’t know. He saw it, liked the phantom thief design, and just... thought this would work as a gift. Would it, actually? Would Minako really like this? Dammit, he was a mess. “I... thought she’d like it. I don’t know.”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Whatever Takeba planned to say didn’t come. Instead, she nodded and closed the box. “I’m sure she’d love whatever you give, Shinjiro-senpai. A music box is kinda... a wild card, but this one looks cute. She would like it.”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Tch, she didn’t need to sugarcoat. Fuuka obediently returned it to him after he wagged his fingers. Shit, he should’ve asked the cashier to gift wrap it. Dammit. Guess he’d have to ask one of the girls to help.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Takeba began to kick the floor restlessly. “Hey, Senpai, what do you think I should give for Minako? I don’t even know what she likes the most.” Huh. He hadn’t seen her this conflicted in quite a while. “I don’t want her to feel </span>
  <em>
    <span class="tm7">obligated</span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm6"> to like my gift. Do you know what I mean? I... I want to get her something that she’d truly appreciate.”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Hmm. He hadn’t expected her to ask </span>
  <em>
    <span class="tm7">him</span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm6">, out of all people. But, he was their senpai, so it was probably time to act like one. He was bullshit at rousing words, but he had to try. “Well, just like you don’t want her to feel obligated to like your gift, you shouldn’t feel obligated to only buy something she likes. You don’t have to... restrict yourself. If you think something suits her, then go for it, even if it’s... not something one would normally get as a present.” Just like what he decided to get for her. “Do what you want, Takeba. Follow your own heart.”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Fuuka smiled at him. “That was so sweet of you, Senpai. Though, it isn’t something I had expected to hear from you.”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Whatever.” Shinjiro tied up the bag. “I’m going home. Wish you good luck in your gift-hunting, Takeba.” He quickly trotted out of the mall, clutching the gift behind him all the while. He still had doubts in it. It was a </span>
  <em>
    <span class="tm7">toy</span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm6">, for god’s sake. A garishly colored, old-fashioned toy. Phones and electronics are what rule the world now, not </span>
  <em>
    <span class="tm7">this</span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm6">. Would this really work...?</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">But he’d already bought it, and it’d be a shame to throw it away while it was brand new. And, the red color would suit Minako. Might as well give it a try.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <em>
    <span class="tm7">I’ve always been living on the edge, anyway.</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And that wraps up the second chapter. Don't worry, the third one will jump right to next Friday. Get ready!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. It's Showtime</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="Normal tm5"> </p><hr/><p class="Normal tm5">
  <em> <span class="tm6">Friday</span> </em>
</p><hr/><p class="Normal tm5">
  <em>
    <span class="tm6">“What do you mean you can’t come today, Aragaki?”</span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm7"> In the past eight months Shinjiro had worked at the restaurant, he could count how many times he had seen Shiomi </span>
  <em>
    <span class="tm6">not</span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm7"> grumpy on one hand. </span>
  <em>
    <span class="tm6">“You know we’re going to have a wedding party by next Wednesday. Would it kill you to lend some extra help?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm7">“Well would it kill </span>
  <em>
    <span class="tm6">you</span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm7"> to let me off for just one night?” Shinjiro hadn’t wanted that to slip out, but what he wanted to do right now was to head back to Mitsuru’s place so that he could start preparing his pasta, not listening to Shiomi bitch and rant to him. “I’m really sorry, Shiomi, but today is a friend’s birthday. I could work overtime tomorrow, if that is what you want. Just... relay the word to the chief, alright?”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm7">Shiomi sneered on the other end, but thankfully, he relented. “Fine. Have </span>
  <em>
    <span class="tm6">fun</span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm7">.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <em>
    <span class="tm6">Yeah, I sure will, dumbass.</span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm7"> He wanted to spit that out just before cutting the line, but he chose to not push his luck. He shoved his phone back into his pocket and checked the clock; quarter past 4. The others would gather here at 6. Might as well prepare the pasta now. Shinjiro wasn’t one to sit around and do nothing for an hour or two, anyway.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm7">Cooking was one of the few things Shinjiro actually enjoyed doing. Since childhood, back in the orphanage, when it was just him, Aki, and Miki, he’d try to cobble up </span>
  <em>
    <span class="tm6">something</span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm7"> from whatever shit the pantry had. And when Aki was enlisted by Mitsuru to join SEES, he knew that both of them would be helpless at feeding themselves, so it was up to him to cook near every night. He’d stopped for a while after pulling himself out of SEES - the streets didn’t exactly have a decent kitchen you could whip up food in - but some things would never change through time. And now, it was like some sort of game that consisted of him reminding himself of the stuff he’d learned over the years of trial and error.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm7">“Oi, Shinji!” Oh fuck, already? He hadn’t even been paying attention to the time. Then again, he never did whenever he was cooking. It was like his mind was switched to autopilot mode. The spatula clanked against the stovetop as Shinjiro went over to welcome Aki and Mitsuru into the house. “Hey, Aki. Got the cake?”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm7">“Use your eyes, dumbass.” Aki clumsily set the large pink box down onto the coffee table. A plastic knife and a packet of candles were already wrapped up on top of the box. “Junpei told me on the phone that he wanted to be the one to present the cake to Minako. Enthusiastic as ever.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm7">Shinjiro let out a strangled breath as Aki unpacked the box. Damn, he really got the best. And knowing just how much Minako loved chocolate (or just, sweets in general), she would definitely be over the moon.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm7">“Are you just going to stare at the food all day, Shinjiro?” Mitsuru muttered. “Yukari and Minako won’t be coming home until six. Have some patience.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm7">“Never said I was hungry.” That wasn’t a lie. The cake was exquisitely made, yes, but Shinjiro would never stuff tons of sugary cream down his stomach, unlike </span>
  <em>
    <span class="tm6">someone</span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm7"> else.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm7">Aki opened his mouth to say something again, but a bubbling noise from the kitchen cut all of them off.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm7">All the blood drained from Shinjiro’s face. “Fuck.” He broke into a dash towards the kitchen, ignoring whatever the hell Mitsuru said behind him.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Yukari felt her spirits lift when she saw the building. Everyone was waiting on just the two of them now. Keeping Minako occupied while also praying that everyone would return with the food ASAP was like trying to diffuse a timed bomb. She couldn’t restrain herself from checking her phone every 20 seconds, even when Minako questioned her about it.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">She glanced at Minako; she was still gazing at the luck charm as they walked down the pavement. Yukari was glad that she liked it. Shinjiro-senpai’s encouragement really helped.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5"><span class="tm6">But that left her wondering; how would Minako react to everyone else’s gifts? She still couldn’t believe that Junpei decided to buy her a </span> <em> <span class="tm7">video game</span> </em> <span class="tm6">, but that was Junpei alright. And, Minako did like video games a lot. Sometimes Mitsuru had to personally get them to knock off their midnight game-binging.</span></p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Soon enough, they were mere steps from the apartment entrance. Yukari whipped out her phone for the... she didn’t even know how many times anymore.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <em> <span class="tm7">[Message sent to: Junpei Iori]</span> </em>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <em> <span class="tm7">[Yukari Takeba]: Minako and i are at the front door; get ready</span> </em>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">She prayed that Junpei wasn’t at a bathroom break right now...</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Hmm, maybe she could stall for just a little longer. Give everyone else time to get into positions. “Hey, Minako,”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Hm?” The former field co-leader faced her. “Sup, Yukari?”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <em> <span class="tm7">Think up something to ask, think up something to ask, don’t sound weird...</span> </em>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“What do you think Shinjiro-senpai would get for you this year?”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5"><span class="tm6">Color flooded Minako’s cheeks in an instant. “Oh! Well,” Stars were already swirling in her crimson eyes. Yukari could only shake her head. Who thought Junpei wasn’t the only one who could look this besotted? “I can’t say for sure. He got me a necklace last year. Maybe his gift this year would be a big dinner?” She chuckled. “Just kidding. But, it wouldn’t be a bad gift either. Shinji’s food is really amazing, after all.” Another chuckle, this time a </span> <em> <span class="tm7">really</span> </em> <span class="tm6"> dreamy one.</span></p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Absolutely. Besotted.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Yukari opened the front door. Everything was pitch black. Good. She couldn’t hide her excitement for one second longer.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Hey, why is everything dark-”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MINA-TAN!!” Aaaand there it was.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Junpei all but sprinted towards the still dumbfounded Minako, keeping a steady grip on the cake all the while. The light from the candles gave a clear view on the triumph written all over Junpei’s face.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Minako’s voice didn’t return to her for several seconds. “You guys...”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Happy birthday, Minako-chan!” Fuuka’s voice, along with excited barking from Koromaru, rang out as she walked into the sitting area with everyone else. Light flooded the room again as Akihiko-senpai flicked the switches back on.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5"><span class="tm6">“I would never forget your day of birth, Minako-san.” Aigis was already holding her present in her hands. Yukari still wondered what it was. The android had given them a heart attack when she announced that she wanted to buy a </span> <em> <span class="tm7">yacht</span> </em> <span class="tm6"> with Mitsuru’s credit as a birthday present for Minako. She swore, sometimes Aigis was still helpless when it came to human cultures.</span></p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Whaddya think, Minako?” Akihiko-senpai was already smirking. “You really thought we’d forget our field leader’s big day?”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Tears were already pricking Minako’s eyes as she gave a watery giggle. “I didn’t think you’d go all out...”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Blow the candles, quickly!” Ken hushed. “It’s gonna melt!”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“R-Right.” After whispering something too quiet for Yukari to pick up, Minako put the candles out in one go. “Thanks, everyone. This was so- unexpected. I had a feeling you wanted to surprise me, but I didn’t think it’d be true.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Cheh, you should’ve followed your gut feeling, then.” Shinjiro-senpai turned to face the kitchen. “Come; the food’s gonna get cold.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Aw yeah, time to chow!” Junpei quickly carried the cake back into the kitchen. Of course, Stupei was enthusiastic about the food. But, Yukari wasn’t any better. She was looking forward to the pizza.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">As everyone headed to the kitchen like ducklings, Minako nudged Yukari in her arm. “I should’ve known something was up when you ordered small servings for both of us.” Yukari simply stuck her tongue out at her best friend. How would they be able to enjoy all the lovely food if they were too full?</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Come on, let’s go. Like Senpai said, the food’s gonna get cold.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Right.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5"><span class="tm6">When they entered the kitchen, everyone else was already sitting neatly at whatever seats they could find. It was reminiscent of those classy dinners the big, rich families had. Though, Yukari hadn’t missed Junpei swinging his legs to and fro underneath the table. </span> <em> <span class="tm7">Someone’s real excited.</span> </em></p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Yukari sat down beside Ken, who was nearly drooling at the sight of the feast placed on the table. She couldn’t blame him. Minako, unsurprisingly, chose to sit right beside Shinjiro-senpai, whom everyone was now staring expectantly at. He was the unofficial master of the dorm’s kitchen, after all.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5"><span class="tm6">“Everyone, pick up your chopsticks.” When</span> <span class="tm6"> everyone did as told, Shinjiro-senpai smirked again. “And dig in.”</span></p><p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Thanks for the food!”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Swear to my Bones</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So, I apologize for the long hiatus. Two things mainly contributed to it: first off, a talk with a Discord server owner made me realize that the original timeline I set for this story would not work out if one takes the Arena spinoffs into consideration, so I decided to revise majority of the story. Secondly, there's, well, college. My external exams are approaching very, very soon, so I decided to hold off posting this chapter for a while. I really didn't want to stall for so long, so I apologize once again.</p>
<p>Anyhoo, before you read this chapter, be sure to reread the previous chapters, mainly Chapters 1 and 3. Those are the ones that have been heavily edited. Feedback is always appreciated!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Minako turned the arm of the music box again. The phantom thief twirled slowly as the tune rang out. She loved this gift. It was really cute, and although she didn’t always watch it, she liked the show. Teenagers fighting against corrupted individuals and making them atone for their actions; it was an enticing premise.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Shinji was always so sweet...</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">She glanced at the cover art of the game Junpei bought for her. She would definitely binge it with him tomorrow night. Mitsuru would have no excuse to pull them out during summer break, after all.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Aigis’ watch was really cute too, even though she hadn’t really fancied watches in the past. They only made her wrist sore. But what Aigis had gotten was of perfect weight. And, she would take this over an actual </span>
  <em>
    <span class="tm7">yacht</span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm6"> every other day. Mitsuru-senpai had been </span>
  <em>
    <span class="tm7">thrilled</span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm6"> to find out what Aigis had intended to do, according to Yukari.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">But, Mitsuru-senpai herself wasn’t any better. Yes, she had just gotten a license for motorcycles, but a brand new one for her wasn’t really necessary. She wasn’t that confident in riding one just yet. And, just how expensive was it?</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">She would have to check on her bag later on when she went upstairs to her room. If there was room for it, she could probably hook Yukari’s charm to her bag. It’d be nice to carry it around. It was a luck charm, after all.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">She ran her fingers down her new mp3 player. She loved the pastel-y pink color, and for something so tiny, it sure could hold a lot of songs. Music was one of her favorite things. It calmed her, soothed her mind whenever she was stressed, and it... helped drown out whatever was happening outside. Hearing news about The Lost just made her heart twist, and her mind conjure up unwanted nightmares. She was just glad that the Dark Hour was over.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <em>
    <span class="tm7">But at what cost?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">...</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">She glanced at the small packet of tools Akihiko-senpai had gotten for her. They were all made of expensive, durable plastic. It was sweet for him to look out for her final year in university. Shinji always ranted about Akihiko-senpai caring about nothing other than making himself stronger, but she would have to disagree. Akihiko-senpai can be thoughtful when he wanted to be.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Eek!” Minako looked up at Fuuka’s voice. Yukari was now securing the blindfold over her eyes. The way the timid girl flailed her hands around was kind of funny and adorable, like she was trying to do the world’s worst impression of ballet.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Minako sighed fondly. It was a game that only kids play, she knew, but honestly, was there any difference between kids and them? Even though one would call them a group of secret agents at first glance, in reality, they were still just a team of teenagers having fun. To her, SEES wasn’t just a bunch of former schoolmates or fellow secret agents; they were more special, more important to her than a normal person could ever imagine. They were her close friends, ones she could always depend on when push came to shove. They were… family.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <em>
    <span class="tm7">Family…</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Wasn’t this… what she and Minato had yearned for, more than 10 years ago?</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <em>
    <span class="tm7">Minato</span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm6">… she looked around the room. No sign of the familiar blue hair.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <em>
    <span class="tm7">Stop it. </span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm6">She took in a strained breath. </span>
  <em>
    <span class="tm7">Minato had died in peace to protect me, and everyone else.</span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm6"> It would be unfair of her to mourn for him even though he wanted them to be happy.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">But it was getting harder to focus on the photo that Ken had framed for her. A sniffle escaped her, much more loudly than she wanted. </span>
  <em>
    <span class="tm7">Just stop. Shinji and the others will worry.</span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm6"> This was supposed to be her birthday, her special day. Everyone had pulled such a great effort to surprise her and make her happy. It wasn’t fair to have them see her cry for no reason.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Minako-san! What’s wrong?!” Ken and Yukari were looking at her now. Everyone else slowly turned their heads to look at her too. </span>
  <em>
    <span class="tm7">They’ll brush it off soon enough. Just keep up the act for a little longer.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">She brushed her eyes. God, they were so wet. Maybe she could just brush it off as allergy? “D-Don’t worry for me, Ken-kun.” She sniffled again. “Someone was burning something nearby, and the smoke got to my eyes.” She hastily wiped off the tears. “Don’t worry, I’m fine now. I-I think I should put your gifts to my room now. Give me a minute.” She had to restrain herself from clutching Ken’s photo frame too tightly as she retreated upstairs, back to her room.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">She was a mess. A complete mess.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Her room; her own place of privacy and solitude. A place where she could weep freely.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">The tears spilled out like a cracked dam being completely obliterated. It was so, so stupid. It had been four years. Four. Years. Even Yukari, who took Minato’s death the worst, had hopped back into full swing. Everyone understood his motive and wishes, and had unanimously decided to honor him by living their lives to the fullest, and leave their scars behind them.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Then why, why did she still feel like crying upon just thinking about him?</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">...</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">She remembered how she’d chastised him over and over after he stole some cake from a pastry store on her 12</span>
  <sup>
    <span class="tm6">th</span>
  </sup>
  <span class="tm6"> birthday. Minato had just nodded his head at everything she said, and it was </span>
  <em>
    <span class="tm7">aggravating</span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm6">. It was like nothing she said would ever get into those ears. But even then, she still had a happy birthday with him. They blew out the candle together and shared it with each other. Minato rarely smiled, but Minako hadn’t forgotten his tiny grin as he ate the cake alone.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">She missed how he’d, without fail, ask her about her birthday wish every year, even if their didn’t always have food to celebrate their birthdays with. She missed sharing the cold slice of tiramisu cake with him. She missed the warmth of his palm when he put it on her shoulder, just before they blew out the candle together. She missed... him.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">She </span>
  <em>
    <span class="tm7">still</span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm6"> missed him.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Why was it still so hard for her to move on? Her teammates had long succeeded in that; why couldn’t she do the same?</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">The door swung open.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Even without light, she could still make out Shinji’s massive silhouette. Neither of them said anything as he walked over to her. She was too tired to pretend, to put on her mask again. Too tired to even stand up.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">But that wasn’t a problem for Shinjiro, who’d forcefully pulled her up from the ground. His expression was... unreadable. It felt like he was reading her like an open book, while deciding on what to do next.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">A rough thumb wiped away the still flowing tears on her cheeks. Shinji’s touch was gentle, soft, completely unlike what he seemed to be at first glance. The warmth of his touch made her heart flutter, just for a little bit.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“C’mere, Mina.” With that whisper of her nickname, he pulled her into a gentle embrace. His giant arms grasped her like a piece of cracked pottery. A gust of cold air above her head made her shudder; Shinji was breathing her in. </span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Idiot.” Fingers tugged off the small piece of pink ribbon that held her ponytail together. “No need to cop outta us like that. The hell were you thinking? If something is bothering you, then just speak up.”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">She hadn’t wanted to run off like that, but the others shouldn’t see her cry on her special day. It just wasn’t right. “I’m sorry.”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“We won’t bite, you know.” A few locks of her hair was caressed between his fingers. “What’s going on? Tell me.”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“I’m fine now.” She tried to croak out, but the wet streaks on her cheeks betrayed her. “It’s nothing big, really.”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">A whine. Minako looked down on the weight that had suddenly settled on her leg. When did Koromaru get in here? “Koro-chan...” Damn, why did he have to be so good at the “puppy eyes” shtick?</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Tch, everyone’s here now.” Minako froze. </span>
  <em>
    <span class="tm7">What.</span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm6"> “Knew they couldn’t bear to sit on their asses and do nothing.”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Hey.” A finger slammed a switch on the wall, and the orange glow of the night lamp revealed Yukari’s solemn smile. “Shinjiro-senpai told us to wait for him, but I think the living room’s gonna explode with tension if we don’t come up to check on you as well.”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Don’t burden yourself, Minako.” Mitsuru-senpai’s expression carried none of her usual elegant air as she walked into the dark room. Instead, her posture was similar to that of a mother comforting her child. “Why hide away from us?”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Something’s been bothering you, hasn’t it, Minako-chan?” Shinji finally released her so that Fuuka can clasp her hand with both of her own. Fuuka herself looked like she was on the verge of tears too. It made Minako’s heart twist. Fuuka was so petite and nice; she didn’t deserve to see her leader like this.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">One by one, her friends filled the room to take a good look at her face, which was wet with her tears. Shinji had remained oddly silent, and only kept a gentle hand on her shoulder.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Yukari was the first to speak. “Tell me honestly: was it </span>
  <em>
    <span class="tm7">him</span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm6"> you were thinking about just now?”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">The name wasn’t dropped, but Minako knew that she had hit the nail right on the coffin. ”...Yes.”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“I’m sorry.” Akihiko-senpai looked so solemn. “It must be... tough.”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Fuuka shook her head. “I’m so sorry that you’re still grieving for him, Minako-chan.” She hesitated a little, before continuing. “But please don’t push yourself.”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Yeah.” Ken looked at her with earnest eyes. “Why didn’t you tell us that you’re sad, Minako-san? We were worried for you.”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Despite everything, Minako still managed to put on a smile. “It’s okay, Ken-kun. Don’t worry. I’ll get over it soon enough.”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Quit it already!” Minako squeaked at Junpei’s sudden outburst. “Geez, Mina-tan, how stubborn can you be? You’re clearly struggling, so let us help you, dammit! A teammate needs to help their leader, just as much as the other way round!”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">To put it lightly, she was baffled by how serious Junpei sounded. He was their homeroom “trouble student”, and no one could take him seriously, with his massive basket of perverted mannerisms and jokes. Even Minato would rib him once or twice just for the kicks. But now here she was, being lectured on life by the same “trouble student”.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“That is right, Minako-san.” Aigis continued. “There is no shame in needing help from us. We should be the ones comforting </span>
  <em>
    <span class="tm7">you</span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm6">!”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Yukari, however, was walking up to her. Minako didn’t dare to take a step back. “Minako, I know none of us will ever comprehend how tough dealing with this is for you, but please listen to me. You </span>
  <em>
    <span class="tm7">don’t</span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm6"> have to hide your grieving. We’re still here for you.” Another embrace, this time by her faithful best friend. “It’s still painful whenever I look at his gravestone. Remember when we went to offer him our blessings not long ago?”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Minako wouldn’t forget that. Her heart had pounded painfully when she saw the familiar marble slab. At that time, she’d allowed only a single tear to flow out. But, why did Yukari bring that up?</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“At that time,” Yukari’s cheeks dusted pink. “I kind of bawled right in front of Junpei and Fuuka when we were going leaving the rooftop...”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">What..? She did see Yukari weep when they were cleaning the tombstone, but she didn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span class="tm7">bawl</span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm6">.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Junpei chuckled behind her. “Seeing her cry like a baby was kinda funny. Even her makeup was starting to run.”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“You didn’t have to include that last part, Stupei!” Oh, Junpei, never change.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">But Yukari’s expression turned back to serious. “What I’m saying is, no one can just get back up from losing </span>
  <em>
    <span class="tm7">family</span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm6"> like it never happened. You shouldn’t expect so much from yourself. So, if you ever feel down, you have me to talk to. You don’t need to lock yourself away ever again.”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“It’s okay to miss your brother.” The only times Minako had seen Akihiko-senpai look this sorrowful was when he recounted the story of Miki-san, and when Shinji was hospitalized. “I... may not be a fun guy to talk to, but if you ever need someone, you still... have me. I’ll make good word on that.”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Koromaru crawled up to her foot again. His sad whimper pierced her soul. Sometimes, Koro-chan was better at displaying emotion than any human could.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Aigis put a hand to her chestplate. “You may not be Minato-san, but know that I still feel a special bond with you. I will always be here for you, Minako-san.”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Ken’s eyes glistened with unshed tears. “I’m the youngest one among all of us, but I will still be here for you, Minako-san. I promise.”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Minako stiffened as Mitsuru-senpai approached her. Even though she was only a year older than her, the former student council president still intimidated her. But she found herself relaxing upon actually hearing what Mitsuru-senpai had to say. “You are our field leader, Minako, but that does not mean you should squash your own emotions. Don’t make the same mistake I did.”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Minako knew what the older girl was talking about. Ikutsuki had been scum, but upon seeing just how hard Mitsuru-senpai had been hit by the death of her father, she’d officially put Ikutsuki’s name onto her shitlist. Mitsuru-senpai had always held herself together, even after the October 4</span>
  <sup>
    <span class="tm6">th</span>
  </sup>
  <span class="tm6"> disaster, but the death of her father tore that mask into two. If it weren’t for Yukari snapping her out of her funk... Minako dreaded to imagine what would’ve happened next.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Lean on your friends, Minako. Lean on us.” Mitsuru-senpai gestured around the room, and the entire team. “We’ll help you get through this. I promise.”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Her friends...</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">A strangled snort escaped Shinji. “Tch, you guys sure know how to lay on the sap. Castor can’t protect me from diabetes, in case you forgot.”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Akihiko-senpai pouted. “Come on, Shinji, be proud of us! We had to build up a lot of courage to say that, you know!”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">“Heh, at least you didn’t stumble over your words.” But then Shinji looked at her again. Unlike his expression from last time, he was smiling softly at her. It made her want to swoon. “You see what I mean now? Don’t you keep up that ‘lone wolf’ crap for any longer. We’re here for ya.”</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">She knew. She understood now. Her brother’s passing would still hurt for a long time; she couldn’t stop that. But her friends would have her back. She needn’t pretend around them. After all, family never kept secrets from each other.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Tears spilled out again, but this time, they were happy ones. Although the Dark Hour had been a great trial for everyone, she knew for a fact that she’d never regret joining SEES. They were what she and Minato had craved for so long.</span>
</p>
<p class="Normal tm5">
  <span class="tm6">Death would find her one day, but as long as Minako could make fond memories with her new family, she couldn’t care less.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If you thought that this story won't contain angst, you should probably reread the tags. It's okay, though; SEES have always been and will still be there for each other. I didn't mention this in the beginning notes, but along with revising the story timeline and studying, I also struggled with editing this chapter. I was proud of it when I first wrote it, but when I looked back at it when I started to revise the first few chapters, I was very unhappy with it, for no particular reason. Probably my perfectionist self speaking again.</p>
<p>But thankfully, I pulled myself together and managed to completely polish this chapter by today. The next chapter will be the last one. Don't worry, the angst train is over; the next one is just gonna be a sweet packet of candies to wrap up the story for good. Please stick with me for a little longer! We're almost there.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Tender Feeling</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="Normal tm5 tm6">
  <span class="tm7">The full moon had never looked so comforting. </span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5 tm6">
  <span class="tm7">Back when the Dark Hour was still around, the full moon would be like the date of an exam. It signified a great trial that would await them in Tartarus. And after the fiasco with Nyx, Minako thought she would never be able to look at the moon the same way again.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5 tm6">
  <span class="tm7">But right now, the soft glow of the moon was like a comforting hot bath. There weren’t too many clouds tonight, allowing a clear view of the night sky. The twinkle of the stars was a welcome sight, too.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5 tm6">
  <span class="tm7">She glanced at the pile of gifts settled on her desk. She would have to clean that mess up soon, but she was just so, so tired tonight. After a few hours of games and movies with her friends, her body was screaming for some rest.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5 tm6">
  <span class="tm7">She shut the window. The autumn gust was beginning to pick up. Gosh, she might have to wear mittens to bed soon. There was still a certain dryness to the air, but the weather was definitely growing colder. She would have to start wearing her autumn clothes.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5 tm6">
  <span class="tm7">“Hey.” </span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5 tm6">
  <span class="tm7">She’d left the door to her room open, in case someone needed to find her. But, she hadn’t expected that someone to be Shinjiro. A trace of chocolate cream was still on his cheek. With a smile, Minako drifted over to him. She had to admit, he looked pretty dashing without his beanie covering his hair. </span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5 tm6">
  <span class="tm7">“You seem better.” Shinji grasped her chin lightly. His lazy smirk made her face flush rapidly. “Hey, don’t give me that lovestruck look. I’m serious right now. I was worried for you, ya’ know.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5 tm6">
  <span class="tm7">A sheepish “I’m sorry.” was all she could offer.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5 tm6">
  <span class="tm7">“Don’t sweat it.” Shinji quickly closed the distance between the two of them and pulled her into another embrace. “Aki and the others did a great job, even though the stuff they said could kill me with the sugar rush.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5 tm6">
  <span class="tm7">Sheesh, he was just exaggerating. “It wasn’t that bad.” Minako wrapped her arms around his neck to pull herself up to his eye level. Or at least, tried to. Shinji was still one whole head taller than her.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5 tm6">
  <span class="tm7">“Likin’ what you see?” She already had an answer to that question. </span>
  <em>
    <span class="tm8">Yes. Absolutely.</span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm7"> “Tch, talk about getting up close and personal.” Suddenly, his lazy smirk turned into a mischievous smile. Uh oh. “Well, two can play that game.” </span>
  <span class="tm7">She felt his hand sinking into her hair. <em>Oh no.</em></span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5 tm6">
  <span class="tm7">“Hey!!” Dammit, why did he have to take advantage of their position? If they had more distance between each other, she could bat away his hand before he messed up her hairpins. So, she simply floundered around helplessly in his hold. “You’re gonna make my hair messy! Hands off!”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5 tm6">
  <span class="tm7">“Come on, don’t tell me you’re not enjoying this!” Minako froze as she looked at Shinji roaring with laughter. He was... laughing, so happily. Shinji was a man who’d mostly kept to himself even before October 4</span>
  <sup>
    <span class="tm7">th</span>
  </sup>
  <span class="tm7">, according to Akihiko-senpai. To see him laugh so gleefully, so earnestly; it was so... strange.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5 tm6">
  <span class="tm7">But, it was the good kind of strange.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5 tm6">
  <span class="tm7">“Cheh, look who’s smitten again.” Her heart jumpstarted as Shinjiro spoke. Her hair was now a messy bundle of brown. “You spaced out there for a sec. You okay?”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5 tm6">
  <span class="tm7">“Huh- wait- wha- I-I’m okay! I just...” Gosh, she needed to get her mind back on track. Her face was burning like a bonfire. She was... kind of regretting getting so close to Shinji right now. She could feel his breath on her face. “I just thought you looked, uh... kind of...” She could do this. “Kind of adorable just now.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5 tm6">
  <span class="tm7">That smirk; it was going to end her life early someday. “I don’t know how you’re able to say those things out loud without freaking out.” Well, she came </span>
  <em>
    <span class="tm8">close</span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm7"> to it. It wasn’t as easy as he thought. “But, I guess that means you’re not as helpless as Iori. C’mere.” He then scooped her up in his arms and carried her over to the bed so they could sit down on it together. Man, she needed to grow taller soon. Shinji still looked so intimidatingly tall when they sat side by side.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5 tm6">
  <span class="tm7">“So,” Shinji dug his fingers through her hair again. “Had a good birthday this year?”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5 tm6">
  <em>
    <span class="tm8">You think?</span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm7"> “Of course! You guys really went all out with it.” Despite her... episode just now, she had a blast with her friends. Blind Man’s Bluff had never been so fun. Although, she’d wished that Junpei hadn’t made that one comment of using the game as an opportunity to “feel” the girls. Chidori-san would’ve pummeled him before Mitsuru-senpai could summon Artemisia.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5 tm6">
  <span class="tm7">Shinji smirked again. “Heh, I’m glad our plan went off without a hitch.” He was staring off into somewhere else now, although his thumb continued to rub tiny circles on her head. “You know, Minako?”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5 tm6">
  <span class="tm7">“Hm?”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5 tm6">
  <span class="tm7">“Just now, when Iori was running to you with the cake, and I saw your face, I’ve...” Oh? Was it Shinjiro Aragaki’s turn to lay on the sap now? “I liked seeing that expression of yours, y’know? You... looked so shocked and happy at the same time. I almost thought you wanted to burst into tears, heh.” She didn’t! Meanie. “I like seeing you so happy. I... I </span>
  <em>
    <span class="tm8">love</span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm7"> seeing you smile. Sometimes I keep wondering how I’ve lucked out so many times. If you time traveled back to before I... rejoined SEES, and told me that I’d soon fall in love with someone, I would’ve brushed you off as naive. But now... now I know.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5 tm6">
  <em>
    <span class="tm8">Awww.</span>
  </em>
</p><p class="Normal tm5 tm6">
  <span class="tm7">Shinji had absolutely </span>
  <em>
    <span class="tm8">no</span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm7"> right to say that Akihiko-senpai was sappy, not after that. Minako giggled a little before hugging his arm. “That was quite a heartfelt speech, Shinji. If you’re trying to woo me with it, you’ve certainly succeeded.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5 tm6">
  <span class="tm7">“Tch, I say all of that and you decide to tease me for it.” Come on, he himself made it too easy for her. “But, it wouldn’t be you otherwise.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5 tm6">
  <span class="tm7">“You know me so well.” She snuggled against his arm. It was starting to get late. She’d have to go to sleep soon.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5 tm6">
  <span class="tm7">“Hey, come on, don’t fall asleep on me now.” Minako jolted a little. Damn, did she really doze off just now? “The bed’s more suitable for that.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5 tm6">
  <span class="tm7">“Sorry.” She rubbed her eyes. “It is getting late, you can’t blame me.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5 tm6">
  <span class="tm7">“More of those late night revisions?”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5 tm6">
  <span class="tm7">“Nah, I don’t do that as much now.” That was in no small part part thanks to Mitsuru-senpai giving her the third degree for it. “There won’t be any major tests for now, so I can relax for a little. Although, the lectures are still boring.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5 tm6">
  <span class="tm7">“Ain’t the first time you’ve complained about that.” Well it wasn’t her fault that the way her professor teaches is </span>
  <em>
    <span class="tm8">boring</span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm7"> with the capital B! Not even coffee could keep her awake when he’s the one lecturing.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5 tm6">
  <span class="tm7">“I’m so ready to tackle my finals and get it over with already. I can’t wait to be enlisted as an official, full-time Shadow Operative!”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5 tm6">
  <span class="tm7">Shinji chuckled. “Calm your horses, lady. You can gush about being a Shadow Op </span>
  <em>
    <span class="tm8">after</span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm7"> you take care of school, understand?”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5 tm6">
  <span class="tm7">Minako yawned again as she lied down on the bed. “Yes, </span>
  <em>
    <span class="tm8">mom</span>
  </em>
  <span class="tm7">.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5 tm6">
  <span class="tm7">Darkness enveloped the room as the desk lamp was turned off. But Minako could still see the massive shadow that lied down on her bed, right beside her. “Tch, the party got you all burned out.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5 tm6">
  <span class="tm7">“Hey, there’s no harm in going all out with my friends every once in a while.” She sneaked closer to him. The rhythm of his beating heart was like a gentle lullaby pulling her into sleep.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5 tm6">
  <span class="tm7">She would’ve wrapped her arms around him again, but he’d already beaten her to the punch. Minako giggled again. Shinjiro could deny it all he wanted, but at the end of the day, he was a big sweetheart.</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5 tm6">
  <span class="tm7">Her eyes felt heavy...</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5 tm6">
  <span class="tm7">“Thanks for putting this together for me, Shinji.”</span>
</p><p class="Normal tm5 tm6">
  <span class="tm7">...She felt something soft pressing onto her cheek. “Anytime, Minako.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So, it's finally over. This shouldn't have taken so long, but it did anyway because of me being afraid and putting off uploading this final chapter. But, it could've been worse. If you have thoughts to voice, leave them in the form of a review. Thank you, and I'll see you next time.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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